Research into the history of Football in Falkirk district : mainly concentrating on the the period up to 1945 I like to dig through the newspapers from the days of yore to find little vignettes that were rarely included in the published histories.
From the ugly side to the downright obscure, just don't expect me to write about anything too obvious ....

Tuesday, 28 June 2016

In the 19th Century Charity matches played by combined teams were far more common than they are these days, especially at the beginning and end of the seasons. The clubs in Falkirk District would often combine to play one of the Glasgow clubs or one of the surrounding counties to add to the coffers of the Falkirk & District Charity Football Association.

These matches were often a bigger draw than anything but the Final of the local Charity Cup competitions because of the 'big names' on view. However 'foreign' combinations also visited the district for the benefit of Charity. East Stirlingshire Fc got in touch with Mr Mackay of the Scottish Umpire to put together a fitting team to raise money for the Falkirk Cottage Hospital. After a couple of call-offs finally the two teams met on Wednesday August 31st 1887.

From the Falkirk Herald 3rd September 1887

GLASGOW TEAM v EAST STIRLINGSHIRE

On Wednesday evening the match for the benefit of the proposed Cottage Hospital (postponed from last week) came off on the ground of the East Stirlingshire at Merchiston Park, Bainsford, when there was a large attendance of spectators, who witnessed a hard-contested game. The weather fortunately for a few hours before and during the match was dry , but the rain which had fallen in the fore part of the day had made the ground a trifle greasy. The Glasgow team arrived a man short - Kirkwood of the ground club filling the vacancy, and the Glasgow team was then made up as follows:- Goal, Chalmers (Rangers); backs, Muir (Rangers) and Buchanan (Cambuslang); half-backs, McIntyre (Rangers) and Cameron (Rangers); forwards, left-wing, Brand (Queen of the South Wanderers) and White (Albion Rovers); centre, Kirkwood (East Stirlingshire) and Robertson (Battlefield); right-wing, Suter (Partick Thistle) and Peacock (Rangers). East Stirlingshire were fully represented. "Tuck" McIntyre having lost the toss Glasgow kicked off, but Johnston returned, and after Chalmers had left his charge to return the ball, twice it was sent wide of the goal. The Glasgow left-wing had a run up the field, but the ball was returned, and Reid had a swift run, but sent wide. A chance took place which might have resulted in a goal, but Dunn left the shooting of the ball to Johnston and vice-versa. A corner was obtained off one of the Glasgow backs, and a shot was sent in to Chalmers, which he cleverly cleared. Again Chalmers had to save, and then Sharp was called on to save a drooping shot from the left at the other end. Then Chalmers had a lively time, and the left wing raised the siege, and a from a shot by Kirkwood a corner was conceded by Inch. Nothing resulted from it, and again at the other end Dunn was in front of goal, when the Cambuslang representative rushed in and kicked it out of the field, thus giving a corner. The goal was cleared, but still the East Stirlingshire kept the play mostly in Glasgow ground till the call of half-time, having several corners and several exciting scrimmages. The ball went every place but through the goal, once or twice striking the bar. During this time the Glasgow team were only twice at Sharp's charge, both visits being of brief duration.
Half-time was called without any scoring.
The second half was immediately started, and a run was made for the Glasgow goal, but the ball was returned and the ball was got near mif-field. They were then checked, and Dunn getting the ball sent a shot into goal, which was rushed through two mins from the start. The Glasgow men wrought hard after this, but could not break the home team's defence. About 15 minutes of the second half had gone when a second goal was scored by E.S. By this time darkness had set in, and the play could only be followed with difficulty. No more scoring took place, although once or twice the cry of "goal" arose when the ball was hovering near the Glasgow goal, which was found to be erroneous. The game thus ended East Stirlingshire 2 Glasgow 0.

Athletic Notes

The match in aid of the proposed Cottage Hospital Fund - notwithstanding many adverse circumstances - may be said to have been a great success. The weather on Wednesday last was not so propitious, as the original date fixed on, but I understand upwards of £17 were drawn at the gate. The Glasgow team, too, was not so strong as was affected, but a look over the names shows it to be a pretty good team, and the East Stirlingshire men are to be congratulated on their victory. The match all through was brimful of interest, as was evinced by the interest manifested by the spectators. The second half was not completed as darkness had set in, and the full hour-and-a-half could not be played. Cameron, of the Rangers, was not of much use in the second half, his leg haven given way; while Honeyman, of the home team, was for some time off the field from a kick which he received. I beg to congratulate Mr Reid on carrying out the project to a successful issue, and hope that since the representatives of other clubs left East Stirlingshire to play the game, they will follow suit by playing matches with the same object in view.

Friday, 7 August 2015

The second edition of the Falkirk & District Charity Cup was only slightly better organised than the first, and although they had had all season to prepare, it was not until April that the matches were scheduled (pretty soon May would become the exclusive reserve of Charity Competitions). On the playing side the tournament had expanded to six clubs: Laurieston and Comely Park replacing the defunct Tayavalla.

The kicked off with a bit of a whimper, as although Camelon drubbed the faltering Grahamston by five goals to nil, it was Grahamston who lived to fight another day. Whether through lack of foresight or mere insouciance Camelon fielded two players who had appeared for other clubs in cups that season, and in accordance with the rules of the time were deemed ineligible: Camelon were disqualified and Grahamston progressed.

In the other First Round match Laurieston, the perennial whipping boys of the cup, had their baptism of fire conceding seven to Falkirk. Comely Park by comparison fared surprisingly well in the first of the Semi-Finals again against Falkirk only losing 4-1 (I say surprisingly as Comely Park were virtually Falkirk's nursery team at this point, so really ought have been outmatched in every position).

Grahamston, so 'fortunate' in the first round came up against "The Hammer" of East Stirlingshire in the other Semi-Final, the Zebras scoring their seven goals at will.

Although the Final was the one the organisers wanted in order to maximise the audience, it was by all standards a bit of a non-event. The simple fact being that the best team in Falkirk District defeated the second best by the standard three goals to nil. What is more notable is that this was the last 'important'match at Camelon's old ground at Camelon House: after the closed season Camelon had relocated to Victoria Park, and left that part of their history behind them.

For the second, and last, time the Charity Cup Committee selected a representative XI for a further charity match (NB - it never claimed to select the best XI), this time the opposition were Linlithgowshire.

Wednesday, 30 July 2014

In the aftermath of the Ibrox disaster nearly all of Scottish Football pulled together in aid of the benevolent fund and the Stirlingshire Association did their bit along with the others. A while back I wrote a weepost about the tournament at the start of the 1902/03 season, which was in effect an extra Stirlingshire Cup, the proceeds going to the fund. But before that there was a match played at the tail end of the 1901/02 Season for the same cause.

On Tuesday 15th April 1902 at Merchiston Park [the home of East Stirlingshire FC] the Stirlingshire FA organised two representative teams for a challenge match. Unlike previous matches this was not played by a Stirlingshire XI against a large club or another representative team, instead the sides were chosen along the lines of Town v County, in other words Falkirk against the Rest of Stirlingshire.

Besides the football entertainment was provided by the Carron Works, the Wright Memorial and the Falkirk Burgh Brass Bands, and a there was a "very large attendance of spectators". On the field the Town side wore the Black & White of East Stirlingshire, while County wore Red Jerseys and White shorts.

The match itself was very competitive, although I suppose the tackling was less intense than in a more competitive fixture, and was very end to end. The first side to strike was County, who on the counter attack passed the ball to Baird who hit the leather so hard that Allan could not hold on to to it and let it slip over the line. However within three minutes Town had equalised, scorer missing. For the rest of the half County were on the ascendancy but the Town defence stood form. Half Time 1-1.

Within three minutes of the resumption Town's Centre-Forward Robert Leishman nipped in behind his wee brother William Leishman on the County side to sent Town into the lead. After some exciting goalmouth skirmishes at both ends Baird again put the teams level. But almost straight from the kick-off Dobbie took a long shot that slipped between McCrory's hands and put Town back ahead. For most of the remaining time play was camped in the Town half, but this time William Allan was on the form that was to become common for the next two decades between the sticks. Failing light brought the players off some ten minutes before the scheduled 45 minutes had been played; the result standing Town 3 County 2.

The gate reciepts were reported as £18 6s 1d, but collections made in the ground added to the sum to be given over to the Ibrox Fund.

This is the last time that I have come across a representative Falkirk [geographical] side, but I dare say that were one to compete against the County today an FFC/ESFC XI could have a decent tussle against a SAFC/SFC XI, but I am a hopless romantic and think such matches are the best way to play Benefits, Testimonials & Charity matches, far better than the same two clubs who might have played several times within the last year. I live in hope.